The Labor enquirer., 1887-07-02
lt IL Really Tee Bad.

IL - Really AOO Do0s
Chicago Enquirer, June Is.
The amslgamstsd association OF iron
workers, in convention at Pittsburg, on
Monday last, adopted the following:
Resolved, That on and after April l
1898. no member of this association can
become q member Of the Knights OF
Labor
This resolution will create no surprise
IN circles where there is familiarity with
the differences existing between leaders of
the trades unions and Knights Of Labor;
IL Is a step which sooner or later will be
taken by all the national and information
al trades unions, unless some compromise
Of existing differences is made.
II is unfortunate that such state Of at
fairs exists, for their never has been any
real reason why the unions and the order
should not work hand in hand. But ever
since the spring Of 1886 trouble has been
brewing; for two years prior to that time
quarrels between the national officers Of
the organizations were of common occur
rences.
The first outbreak of any consequence
was Just prior to the special session of the
general assembly of the Knights Of Labor
held at Cleveland in May Of last year, and
there was present in that city during the
special session committee of five gen.
tiemen representing the trade unions, who
wished to perfect some arrangement for
future harmonious action. The COM
mittee was composed Of A. Strasser, of
the cigarmakers; p. J. CURE, Of the car
pcnters; All. Boyer, of the printers; VIM.
weihe, of the almagamated iron workers;
and P.F Fitzpatrick, Of the iron molders.
After prolonged contest upon the sub
ject the general assembly adopted right
hand fellowship circular, which was ad-
dressed to the trades unions of the coun-
try and was given to the press. Other
steps towards establishing friendly rela-
tions between the organizations were
taken.
But II appears that the Instructors paid
no attention to the acts of the general as
sembly. The war was continued with in
creased bitterness, after the Cleveland
session, and very bitter war was waged
during the. summer months in New York
city between the Knights of Labor of one
district and the cigarmakers. This fight
became 80 intense that it was carried to
the regular session of the general assem-
bly, at Richmond in October last, and re-
suited in the adoption of q resolution
calling upon all cigarmakers to choose
between the Knights Of Labor and the Ci-
garmakers' International Union, as men,
bers Of the order were to be prohibited
from belonging to the union.
This resolution, or "order Of expulsion"
rs Vt has very properly been called, hasn't
been generally observed, and no especial
effort has been made to enforce 1t on ac-
count Of the disapproval of locals and dis
tricts which was made known to the gen.
eral officers. But the gauntlet was thrown
down and every one knew it was only a
question Of time until ii would be taken
up by the unions.
The president of the Amalgamated as.
sociation having been member Of the
"peace committee" of Ave that visited
Cleveland il is natural that that organiza-
tion should be among the first to fight
back when opportunity was presented; so,
the resolution adopted at Pittsburg on
Monday is not surprising. The surprise
will be IL the other unions do not follow
suit. The printers, at the recent session
in Buffalo, manifested desire, to put it
mildly, to snub the Knights Of Labor.
This is really too bad. That these great
organizations Of labor cannot work in
harmony, because of the acts Of few men
in New York, is shame, and detriment
to the cause Of labor. There was time
when the men whose hearts are whole in